Begonia plant named ‘KRBELLE01’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘KRBELLE01’ characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; dense and bushy appearance; and yellow green-colored leaves with dark brown-colored margins.

Botanical designation: Begonia hybrida×Begonia bowerae.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KRBELLE01’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begoniaplant, botanically known as Begonia hybrida×Begonia bowerae andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘KRBELLE01’.

The new Begonia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Ermelo, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new types of Begonia plants withunique and attractive foliage.

The new Begonia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in Ermelo, The Netherlands in March, 2004 of Begonia hybrida‘Cleopatra’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with anunnamed proprietary selection of Begonia bowerae, not patented, as themale, or pollen, parent. The new Begonia plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within theprogeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Ermelo, The Netherlands in March, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by leaf cuttings taken ina controlled greenhouse environment in Ermelo, The Netherlands sinceJuly, 2005 has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia plantare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however,any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘KRBELLE01’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘KRBELLE01’ as a new and distinct Begonia plant:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Dense and bushy appearance.    -   4. Yellow green-colored leaves with dark brown-colored margins.

Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent, ‘Cleopatra’, in leaf color as plants of ‘Cleopatra’ have darkbrown-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the maleparent selection in leaf color as plants of the male parent selectionhave dark green-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of Begonia bowerae‘Tiger’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Ermelo,The Netherlands, plants of the new Begonia differed primarily fromplants of ‘Tiger’ in leaf color as plants of ‘Tiger’ had green-coloredleaves with brown-colored spots.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Begonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Begonia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical plant of ‘KRBELLE01’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet are close up views of the upper(left) and lower (right) surfaces of typical leaves of ‘KRBELLE01’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the winter in 13-cm containersin a shaded glass-covered greenhouse in Ermelo, The Netherlands andunder cultural practices typical of commercial Begonia production.During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 20° C.and night temperatures averaged 18° C. Plants were twelve weeks old whenthe photographs and description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia hybrida×Begonia bowerae    ‘KRBELLE01’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Begonia hybrida ‘Cleopatra’, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Begonia bowerae, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By leaf cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About 20 days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and            winter.—About two months at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white to orange brown in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density; plants of            the new Begonia have not been observed to form tubers.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant habit and form.—Upright, outwardly spreading and            mounded plant habit; overall plant shape, flattened            globular.        -   Growth habit.—Moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate            growth rate; suitable for 12-cm and larger containers; under            optimal environmental and cultural conditions, usually about            ten weeks are required to produce proportional 13-cm potted            plants; leaves grow in basal rosettes; dense and bushy            appearance, about twelve basal rosettes develop per plant            with about 15 leaves per basal rosette; flower development            has not been observed on plants of the new Begonia.        -   Plant height.—About 22.3 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 42.5 cm.        -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, arranged in basal rosettes;            simple. Length: About 8.8 cm. Width: About 12.4 cm. Shape:            Unequal reniform. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Oblique. Margin:            Irregularly dentate to bi-serrate; laciniate. Texture, upper            surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Texture, lower surface:            Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety. Luster, upper surface:            Matte. Luster, lower surface: Slightly glossy. Venation            pattern: Palmate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface:            Close to N144D; margins, close to 183B. Developing leaves,            lower surface: Close to N145B; margins, close to 184B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 144A; margins,            close to 200A; venation, close to N144B. Fully expanded            leaves, lower surface: Close to 139D; margins, close to            187A; venation, close to N144B. Petioles: Length: About            16.6 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Sparsely pubescent. Glossy, upper and lower            surfaces: Moderately glossy. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 145B; lenticels, close to 183B. Stipules:            Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:            Aristate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            145D.-   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common    to Begonia plants has not been observed on plants of the new    Begonia.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed    to tolerate high temperatures of about 35° C. and to be hardy to    USDA Hardiness Zone 10.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘KRBELLE01’ asillustrated and described.